Vajda Lajos Metamorphosis, 1939, Charcoal and Inian Ink on Paper, 89.3x62.8cm 1939

Vajda Lajos made this drawing in 1939 with charcoal and Indian ink. I can only imagine the push and pull of the charcoal across the page. Did he begin with the figure in the center or let it emerge from the shadowy depths? I wonder if he felt like he was wrestling with the image, trying to pin down something fleeting. The ink feels viscous, almost alive, as if the drawing is breathing. It reminds me of some of Picasso’s ink drawings and prints from the 30s. The face in the centre is mask-like, a kind of self-portrait, perhaps. He seemed to be fascinated by the ways images can transform and morph, reflecting the changing inner states of the artist. Vajda Lajos's ability to let the work change into a form of constant metamorphosis reminds us that painting isn't about fixed statements but about an ongoing exchange of ideas that shifts with each mark we make.